Here is a royal book with a difference. It is a family saga showing the monarchy
from the death of Queen Victoria to the present day. But rather than just an account
of the reign of the five 20th-century monarchs, this is a study of their dynasty;
of both its major and minor members. The entire royal family is vividly portrayed
— with its triumphs and its heartbreaks, its brilliance and its mediocrity, its strengths
and its vulnerabilities.

The main theme explores the way in which, in over eighty years, the royal family
has adapted to changing times in order not only to survive but to enhance its position
in national and international life. It is an account of a royal house in the state
of continuous transition; of a family deeply concerned with making itself relevant
to contemporary life while retaining its essential element of mystique.

Many other interesting themes also emerge: the education and upbringing of the royal
children, the reconciling of public obligations with private inclinations, the constitutional
position of the monarch, the frustrations of heirs-apparent, the varied and often
onerous duties of family members, the composition of the royal households, the relationship
with the press, the contrasting atmosphere of the different reigns, the marriages,
the divorces, and the sometimes disastrous love affairs.

Theo Aronson in writing this book has received an exceptional degree of cooperation
from the Palace. He has been granted audiences with members of four generations of
the royal family: the late Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone, the Queen Mother,
Princess Margaret and the Prince of Wales. He has also had help from members of the
various royal households — secretaries, comptrollers, press secretaries, equerries
and ladies-in-waiting.

Reviews:

“Theo Aronson is my favorite author on the British royal family. He is informative
and interesting. Recommended.”

Susan Snodgrass - Reviewer

The late C. P. Snow described Theo Aronson's writing as 'bright with intelligence
and human wisdom... very highly recommended'.

“I was especially fond of how each family member tried to balance their lives between
the crown and its accompanying regalia and living as a normal person, and stories
about the quirkier, the more outside-the-box family members, like Queen Alexandra,
Prince George (Duke of Kent), and, naturally, Princess Margaret.”

Kristine Fisher - Reviewer

“Extremely informative, well researched and well written… stands out in its genre.”

Sarah Kenny – reviewer

“An entertaining and well researched piece of work.”

Sue Ross – reviewer

“Very well written, lots of interesting information.”

Janet Perry – reviewer

“Learning the history of the Royals can be a daunting task and many writers make
it all the more so with their dry styles. Not so with Theo Aronson. His style is
witty and engaging making the lesson enjoyable.”

Brenda Kerwin - Librarian

“Well written and well researched, and it was interesting to see Aronson’s point
that the royal family has become a “family firm” by the time of Queen Elizabeth II
and Prince Charles.”

Emily Ross (Reviewer)

“An enjoyable read that situates the generations from Edward VII on in relation to
one another very effectively. The book is also good at tying changes in the House
of Windsor's relationship to the British people to changes in history and in the
zeitgeist of the nation.”